Superheater unit



Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANK W. SHUPERT, OF SANFORD, FLORIDA.

SUPEBHEATER UNIT.

Application filed April 18, 1927.

The present invention relates to improvements in superheater units and embodies new and novel features of construction over the type of superheater unit as disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,601,417 granted to me on September 28, 1926.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved type of superheater unit embodying maximum superheating areas, and protective features for preventing possible distortion of the unitsby reason of the excessively hot gases to which the unit is subjected.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved superheater unit which may be economically ,formed from stock materials, so formed and compactly arranged as to permit of the units being positioned in a fire tube or flue for allowing maximum superheat ing surfaces without retarding movement of the heated gases through the tubes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved superheater unit embodying connected superheater sections adapted for independent positioning in separate fire tubes or fiues, the unit sections being connected one with an inlet and one with an outlet connection, for reducing the number of connections of the superheater unit to the superheater header.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved type of superheater unit embodying superheater sections formed from a single piece of stock material and adapted to be independently inserted into separate fire tubes or lines, and which sections each have open rear ends which are sealed by means of a separate hollow cap or head forming a communicating passageway between independent passageways of their respective superheater unit sections.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a superheater unit embodying superheater leg portions of hollow concavo-convex formation, with means for connecting the walls of the hollow leg portions to prevent yielding of the walls out of proper formation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view looking at the improved superheater unit from its inner Serial No. 184,792.

end and showing the separate hollow caps for closing the inner end of the superheater unit sections and forming a communicating passageway between the passageways of the sections.

Figure 2 is a view part in side elevation and part in longitudinal section showing the improved superheater unit as applied to the superheater lines of a fire box.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of one of the leg portions of the superheater unit and showing apertures having been struck in the leg section for allowing anchoring together of the walls of the leg.

Figure 5 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the inner or rear end of one of the superheater unit sections and showing the manner in which the hollow cap or head when applied to the section forms a communicating passageway between the passageways of the hollow leg portions of the unit sections.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on line 66 of Figure 5 and showing the general formation of the hollow separable cap.

Figure 7 is a transverse section on line 7 7 of Figure 5 and clearly illustrating the mannor in which the walls of the leg portions are anchored together and also illustrating the integral web connecting the inner ends of the hollow leg portions.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and

wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may designate a boiler construction preferably of the locomotive type, embodying'the usual superheater fire tubes or flues B mounted at one end in the smoke box wall 0, and D the improved superheater unit in the example shown embodying connected superheater unit sections E and F.

The improved superheater unit D is preferably formed from a single length of tubular material suitably rolled or pressed longitudinally at two points intermediate its ends for formation of the sections E and F. This formation of the sections E and F may be accomplished while the tubular material is in a straight form by means of rollers as set forth in my Patent No. 1,601,417, and which rolling or pressing of the tubular material or pipe produces hollow concavoconvex sections as clearly illustrated in Figure 4.

p 'the way In the construction of the improved superheater unit, the tubular material or pipe is first rolled at two spaced points intermediate the ends of the pipe for forming hollow segmental shaped portions for formation of the sections E and F connected by the goose neck or return bend 10 and providing terminal inlet and "outlet connections 11 and 12, the inlet way 11 in the example shown opening into the section 'E and the outlet way 12 opening into the section F. These hollow segmental shaped portions of the pipe provide spaced concavo-convex walls 13 and 14 connected by arcu'ate edge portions 15. Thesehollow segmental shaped portions are then-cut transversely at'a point midway "their ends and from the concaVed side of the portions to apoint substantially "at the crown of the wall 14; for leaving the narrow web 16 and'after which'the divided hollow segmental shaped portions are bent back upon themselves 'as clearly illustrated in Figure 1 with the crown portions of the walls 14 disposed in confronting relation and slightly spaced as illustratedin Figures 5 and .7 for forming hollow segmental shaped leg portions 17a'nd 18. Thus'it will'be seen that 'eachof the sections E and F embodies a pair o'f'holl'ow segmental shaped leg portions arrangedwith their convex sides in confronting relation and'connect'ed at their inner or forward ends by means of'the integral -web section 16 constituting'an'undivided'crown portion of the concavo 'conveX 'wall 14. The segmental'shaped leg portions 17 and 181provide'shallow passageways 19 and 20 respectively of concavo convex cross section which extend throughout "the length ofthe leg portions'an d open atthe inner end of the sections E and]? as clearly illustrated inFigure 1. Inthe example shown, the passageway 19-of the unit'E communicatesat its outer or forward end with the'way 11 "while' theTpassageway'20 of the unit This connected at its outer end with the outer end of 'thelpassageway 19 of the unit "Fby the wayl'O, whilethe passageway 20 of the unit F' communicates at its outer end with As will be observed 'inFigure 2, the superheater unitsections E and F are adapted to bepositioned one in each ofthe tubes or fines B, '"and' as is usual practicefhave their inner ends'facin'g' toward' the'fire box-of the boiler. A strap 21 preferably connects-the free end of the inlet and outlet ways 11 and 12, and'which ways maybe connected in any suitable manner to the superheater header 22.

Adapted 'for'attachment tothe inner end of the superheater sections E and F, are 'hol-low cruciform caps or heads 24 which "merge into apoint at their inner ends and ".ha've their rear edges shaped to conform to *the'crucifo'rm end formation of the superheater sections as clearly illustrated in Figthrough the fines B and that the weld 25 is disposed a suitable distance from the pointsof the cap and'notdirectly subjected to the intense heat of the gases passing "through-the fines. It will-also be-observed in Figure 5 that the hollow cruciform cap '24:providesacommunicating passage at the inner end of the passageways 19and 20 0f the leg portions 17 and '18 respectively. The web 16 aside from serving as a combined spacing andconnection between the leg portions also allows for ready and easy welding of the cap in positionby reason of the bridgeformedby the *webat the inaccessible confronting crown portionszofthe leg portions. WV hen the caps 24 are in closing-position at theinner end of the'sections E and F it will be seen that steain'entering the way 11 will be caused to pass through the narrow passageways 19 and 20 of both of the super-heater unitsections before passing through the outlet way 12. By this passing of the st'eainthrough two of the 'firetubcs maximum superheating is obtained, and which arrangement at the same time decreases the number of 'joints'orconnections at the superheaterh'eader 22.

Referring'now to the reinforcing means for preventing distortion of the hollowsegmental shaped leg-portions 17 and 18, and which reinforcingis preferably formed before bending of the segmental shapedpipeportions into the leg portions as illustrated in Figure 1, the same preferably consists inits firststep of punching or striking a series of apertures 26 'in longitudinal alignment along the crown portion of thewall 14 as illustrated in Figure 4:. These apertures 26 and as will be apparent by observing Figure 2,are increasingly spaced "rigidly joining the "walls 13 and 14 at their crown portions and midway thearcuateedge portions 15 and which as'will readily be apparent by so uniting the walls'13'and14: longitudinally, will prevent inward pressure from tending to bulge the wall'13 outwardly.

These welds 28 serve as braces or'stays for the spaced concavo convex walls 13 and 14:,

and while it is preferred that the stays be in the form of welds formed as shown, the

, stays may be formed in'any preferred'manner for proper spacing and reinforcing means for the walls. By so having the stays or welds 28 spaced closer adjacent the heads or caps 24', serves'to better preventpossible buckling or distortion of the hollow segmental shaped head portions at their points subj ected to the greatest amount of heat. These welds 28 will of course fill the apertures 26 forhmaking the passageways 19 and 20 steam tig t.

With the super-heater unit so constructed it will be seen that the hollow segmental shaped leg portions 17 and 18 of the sections E and F provide four substantially radially extending vanes which readily divide the heated gas passing through the fire tubes into four streams and which divided streams will cause the sections E and F to be uniformly heated and to a high degree of superheat owing to the relatively large superheating surface provided by the segmental shaped leg portions. While it is preferred that the superheater units embody the pair of sections E and F for the obtaining of maximum superheating of the steam, the units may if so desired consist of but one of the sections and in which case the ways 11 and 12 would be formed at the outer ends of the leg portions of one of the superheater unit sections.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a novel and improved type of superheater unit has been provided which is of extremely simple and compact construction for providing maximum superheating areas, and embodying novel features of construction whereby the superheating areas are held against distortion by reason of the eX- treme heat to which the areas are subjected. It will also be apparent that a novel method of construction has been provided whereby the superheater unit may be economically constructed from stock tubular material so rolled or pressed as to provide maximum superheating areas for the steam, and which superheating areas are of such formation as to not materially retard passage of the heated gases through the flues with which the superheater unit is associated.

Changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the specific form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a superheater unit a pair of elongated hollow segmental shaped leg portions providing spaced concentric walls, inlet and outlet means for the outer ends of the leg portions, a hollow cap closing the inner end of the leg portions and providing communication between the passageways of the leg portions, and stays connecting the crown portions of said walls at spaced points longitudinally of the leg portions and increasingly spaced greater distances apart from the inner ends of the leg portions toward the outer ends thereof.

2. In a superheater unit, a pair of elongated hollow segmental shaped tubes eachincluding spaced concentric walls, a cap connecting the inner ends of the tubes, and stays connect ing the crown portions of said walls at spaced points longitudinally of the tubes and increasingly spaced greater distances apart from the inner ends of the tubes.

FRANK W. SHUPERT. 

